Gitzo 1325 or 1548 for TK45?

[Don Miller]

Correction: I have the Gitzo 1348, not the 1345.

[tim atherton]

I have one of the massive heavy duty aluminium gitzos that goes up to 8 or 9' or somthing that I used to use for everything. Finally got a deal on a gitzo 1325 a couple of years ago and can't remember the last time I used the monster tripod - the 1325 gets used for 8x10, 4x5 arca swiss and a the little Toyo - it's fine 99% of the time for all of them. I use it both with just the top plate and a centre column (lighter or more height/flexibility). It gets used for every kind of work - all my architectural + landscape, cityscape, editorial etc.

I just came back from doing a commission shooting urban landscapes - 200 sheets of 8x10. Some pretty windy days, including the old wind tunnel effect between building and I've only noticed one shot suffering from blurr - and I know I kicked the tripod as I clicked the shutter on that one (and so had shot a second sheet)

I also use an arca B1 for everything - I have and have used pan and tilt and geared heads but I just don't like them most of the time. With heads I think it tends to be an either or thing - some people like ball heads and find them easy to use - others just don't like em.

As for the arcas, I bought some extra big fleur-de-lis and tricolour flags to stick all over them (even though Gitzo is British now... and in use by Birtihs forces in Iraq as we speak :-) )

[tim atherton]

that should be "British"

[tim atherton]

Jeesh - shouldn't try and type while holding a teething 5 month old... - should be: As for the gitzos, I bought some extra big fleur-de-lis and tricolour flags to stick all over them (even though Gitzo is British now... and in use by British forces in Iraq as we speak :-) )

[Ted Harris]

First the ballhead, I have been using the Acratech for close to two years now and I find it to be superb and easy to use. I have used Arca and Gitzo ballheads and find the Acratech to be superior. The movement is smooth, it locks up easily and solidly and ways a good bit less than the Arca. I have used it with an assortment of 4x5 and 8x10 cameras up to around 14 pounds total weight with lens and no problems at all, none. I also use it with a Noblex and again very easy to gt everything all levelled up. BTW, while it comes standard with Acratech's own Arca style clamp you can order it with no clamp if you want to use another system or have enough pod and camera plates already .... you save some 75 bucks that way if memory serves. It's big advantage over the Arca style ball heads is that since the large ball is open, there is no way for dirt, dust, sand and other gunk to get lodged inside the head.



Now tripods ...... just my personal preference buy you might want to look at some of Linhof's offerings as well. I use this 'pod a lot and find it to be a true joy, much more so than a number of gitzo's I have owned and used:



LIGHTWEIGHT PRO TRIPOD
003414
65/190 cm (26/75"), 3-sections, with detachable umbrella struts, rapid clamp locks, 35 mm diam. sliding centerpost. Built-in spirit level, convertible feet, metal spikes/rubber tips, large dual-thread top plate with 1/4 and 3/8" camera screw. Weight: 2400 g



Like many things Linhof the specs are incredibly conservative. They say it willsupport up to 13 pounds as I recall but I think it will handle more like 25-30 with ease. I know it handles everything I throw at it and is rock solid. I was using it a couple of weeks agon on some rocks on the coast of Maine with the wind blowing and there was no movement at all it just sat there like a good pod should! The Acratech mates nicely with it. Badger carries (or used to carry) them and I know jeff uses one personally. Worth a look.

[Bob Salomon]

"LIGHTWEIGHT PRO TRIPOD 003414 65/190 cm (26/75"), 3-sections, with detachable umbrella struts, rapid clamp locks, 35 mm diam. sliding centerpost. Built-in spirit level, convertible feet, metal spikes/rubber tips, large dual-thread top plate with 1/4 and 3/8" camera screw. Weight: 2400 g"

In the USA there is a 5 year warranty on Linhof tripods sold by authorized dealers.

Those sold by unatorized dealers have no warranty inside the USA and no repair service.

[giancatarina]

i'm using a gitzo 1329 and a geared head manfrotto 410, i will avoid the 4 sections tripods in 132 serie (4 sections, means a smaller section than the 3 sections models). i'm using an arca swiss f line 45, and without using the center colum, the optical axe is at 1, 85 meter !

[Paul Butzi]

I've used a 13xx series Gitzo with my Tk45s for years now. Mine was purchased just after Gitzo introduced the CF 'pods.

I see lots of folks use the 1325 - mine has four section legs and goes higher than a 1325 - I guess that makes it equivalent to the current 1348.

Having the four section legs is great. Most of the time, the last (narrowest) section stays collapsed. Having that extra length, though, is really nice when you are working on a slope and want the downhill leg (or legs) to be longer.

Since currently I'm doing quite a bit of work from roadside, I find that often I have one tripod leg down in the ditch and being able to extend that leg another foot or so is more a neccessity than a luxury.

I use a Arca-Swiss B1, and I'm happy with it. It replaced the Linhof Profi II immediately after my Profi II let loose a camera flop that nearly dumped the TK45s and my 210 Apo-Sironar-N into the Snoqualmie River (I caught it inches from the water, whew!).

I think camera flops are a big issue with ball heads, especially with view cameras which tend to have the center of gravity quite a bit higher (and also extend out quite a bit more than MF and 35m gear), and so I'd be pretty unhappy about switching to a ballhead that didn't have the AS eccentric ball feature.